The Pardoner's Tale Greed

Words: 637
Pages: 3

It is said that money is what makes the world go round, yet it is also said that money is the root of all evil. Both of these statements are widely accepted, yet they seem to contradict one another. Although, if both of these statements are in fact true, it must mean that evil is the omnipresent power which allows the world to function. This frightening assumption is further explored in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. More specifically, the dangers and atrocities which money and greed are responsible for are deeply examined throughout The Pardoner’s Tale. In this tale, there rioters embark on a journey in hopes of killing death itself; however, they are quickly distracted by the opportunity to obtain a substantial amount of gold. In the end, they plot to kill one another so they won't have to share any of the riches, but they each succumb to a murder plot directed to themselves. Through examination of this poem, it can be understood that greed has the strength to change people's desires, make them do despicable things and is therefore responsible for all evil within mankind. To begin, the power of greed can be seen …show more content…
It can be determined that greed is powerful enough to act as an authoritative figure for much of humanity. While most people are not willing to commit murder, a large majority of people would compromise smaller moral beliefs in order to gain a personal advantage in some way. People do not see the dangers of these decisions because they are blinded by their greed; so they are willing to commit the act. Every crime or immoral action is carried out due to a personal motive -- everyone is driven to carry out evil due to their greedy aspirations. Therefore, it can be concluded that all crimes, sins, and unjust actions in this world are derived from